Materials: Large Felt Top Hat, Pearl Strands, Plastic Sand Art Bottles in various sizes with Cork Tops, Skeleton Key Ornaments, Various Magnifying Glasses, Food Coloring, Water, Bronze Craft Wire
This top hat is not the $20 "christmas tree top hat tree topper" found at retail stores. I bought a $4 large felt top hat at the craft store and added some red ribbon and holly, sat it on top of the tree and viola! A Top Hat Tree Topper
I created different sizes, colors, and designs of "alchemy potion vials" by filling plastic sand art bottles and test tubes (sand art bottles were $0.50 each and test tubes can be found for $9 per 10 pack) with food coloring and water, then wrapping each tube in a flexible, bronze craft wire. Super easy!
I found several antique looking pocket watches on clearance for $5. They made perfect accessories for my steampunk tree and I can use them for other things through out the year.
Various sizes and styles of magnifiers complete the look. If using magnifiers as ornaments, make sure to keep your tree in an area of your home without direct sunlight or keep your shades drawn to avoid fire hazards. I found a three pack of magnifiers for $2 at the craft store.
My kids love this tree, especially the magnifiers which are super fun to look through. The potion vials are non-toxic, being only water and food coloring, so they're safe if the kids get curious and open them... which they will not do because I told them the potions would turn them into spiders. Ha!
